Bryson DeChambeau had a lot of ground to make up on the back nine of the TPC Deere Run on Sunday.
He shot even par for his first nine, was 12-under and looked like he’d simply be gunning for a top five finish.
He then played his best nine holes as a member of the PGA Tour.
Birdies at 10 and 11 then two more at 13 and 14 got him closer to overnight leader Patrick Rodgers. A nice two-putt birdie at the par five 17th got him within a shot of Rodgers’ lead.
The former U.S. Amateur and NCAA champion found himself staring at a 14-footer on the 72nd green. He knew he’d have to make it just to have a chance to tie Rodgers, who was sitting at 18-under with the par five 17th in front of him. DeChambeau put a great stroke on it, the ball tried to wiggle right but at the last second, caught the right edge and fell in.
DeChambeau went ecstatic with a double first pump and huge display of emotion. That closing birdie gave him a six-under par 30 coming home, his best finish as a pro. He shot 65 and posted 18-under.
While he went to the range to hit balls, he got the startling news that Rodgers bogeyed 17 thanks to a poor drive, a third shot that left him on the green but with no path to the hole then a missed 10-footer for par. Rodgers drove it poorly again at the 18th, missed the green long and failed to chip in. DeChambeau was a tour winner in his 40th event.
“Oh my gosh!” DeChambeau exclaimed. “Are you kidding me? I don’t know what it means. I’ve been working so hard all my life for this,” said the young man who marches to a different beat. He plays with irons that are all the same length with oversize grips on all his clubs. He’s a brainiac, a physics-driven, analytical player — not what you normally get on the PGA Tour.
“I showed everyone there’s plenty of ways to do it,” DeChambeau proudly declared.
In the meantime, he can board the special charter flight provided by the tournament to take players to the U.K. for the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
John Deere Classic Final Scores:
MCCARRON OUTLASTS LANGER AT SENIOR PLAYERS
Scott McCarron won three times on the regular tour, never came close to a major championship.
He got his major with a senior mulligan Sunday when Bernhard Langer went out-of-character with a double-bogey at the 71st hole of the Senior Players Championship.
McCarron posted a final round 66 at the Caves Valley Golf Club for an 18-under par total that nipped Langer by a shot. Langer was trying to make history, seeking to win the same major four years in a row. But it was an off day for Langer, who shot 39 over the final nine holes but still managed to tie for second with Brandt Jobe. Jobe shot even par.
The win was McCarron’s third on the over-50 set, equaling his victories on the regular tour.
